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So a few questions to follow:
(1) Will there be a referendum to approve the tax dollars going to build it?
(Answer: Of course not.)
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(2) Will it be a toll bridge?
If it isn’t, why should the rest of the province (the wealth producers) pay for another piece of infrastructure in the Lower Mainland?
If it is, why should only those south of the Fraser have to pay tolls?
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So will this announcement include an examination of road pricing for all of Metro Vancouver?
(Answer: Of course not.)
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(3) Does this bridge project ensure the expansion of the Fraser-Surrey docks as a major coal port? – part of the vision to make B.C. one of the great carbon-transfer points on this planet.
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(4) If that’s not it, what is the Premier’s vision for Metro Vancouver? Is it to abandon the regional strategic plan and return to the development pattern that characterized similar decisions in the past – notably the Port Mann Bridge in the early 60s that transformed Surrey into a bedroom suburb?
In other words, is this another major piece of Motordom?
If not, then what provisions will be made to maintain a compact region and prevent sprawl?
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(5) Or is it actually another indicator that the ALR is up for grabs – notably the lands west of Highway 17, where developers have already taken out options on farmland, expecting to develop warehouses and port-related services for the Roberts Bank expansion? Not to mention Tsawwassen Mills.
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(4) Will transit be funded as part of the budget to build the bridge? I’m sure the design of the bridge will allocate room for a bus lane or eventual rail, but will actual provision of transit service be thrown to TransLink? What happens, then, if there’s a No vote on the referendum? Is transit off the table for this part of the region? (Please explain again why this should even be put up for a vote.)
What transportation system can function effectively if it only serves more cars and trucks, without a transit component? Especially since the new crossing will put excruiating pressure on the Oak Street Bridge just down to road (the reason a previous Minister of Transportation, Kevin Falcon, gave as a reason for not replacing the Massey Tunnel).
Unfortunately, the conclusion (especially for the people of Delta) is that you can comfortably vote No on transit expansion because the Province will be there to build and expand the road system for you, using everyone’s tax dollars, without the need to raise taxes.
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This bridge means Massey expansion is a done deal. So now we can move on the next big road project.
Here’s a guess: an interchange, highway link and new bridge at No. 8 Road, connecting to Boundary Road – especially since the new bridge will induce more traffic that will make the Oak Street Bridge the next congestion point. So we’ll need another crossing – and it will be done all in the name of goods movement, economic growth, congestion relief and jobs.
Transit not included.
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UPDATE: Clark announced that the No. 8 Road and crossing has been rejected. But Motordom doesn’t give up easily. Meanwhile: on to the Pattullo!
(3) Does this bridge project ensure the expansion of the Fraser-Surrey docks as a major coal port?
No because all of the coal that arrives here for export comes by train. Coal ports employ remarkably few people.
The coal port will be expanded but then will become a white elephant as the market for coal is collapsing
I have no major problems with the new deas island bridge if it is a tolled crossing.
I’d ask for a separated bike lane from the highway for the corridor on top of this.
Amen to that! The highway 1 corridor should have included upgraded cycling end to end, instead we are getting a piecemeal approach and some connections. When it is all said and done I don’t think one will be able to connect to the central valley greenway. Getting across highway 1 at North Road or Brunnette on a bike is still on a 1960 sidewalk on one side of the road.
Agreed. Real lack of any forward looking vision. An expanded bridge will become an unused expensive white elephant like the Golden Ears Bridge.
The bit of not so bad news is that the Province did reject the 8th Rd bridge due to concerns regarding the ALR.
http://www.surreyleader.com/news/224601281.html?mobile=true
The province is also rejecting one controversial alignment that would have crossed the river further upstream and was strongly opposed over concern it would intensify pressure to develop farmland in east Richmond.
And in case anyone thinks I am being obtuse, I know the tunnel is a barrier to deeper draft vessels going up the Fraser, but the coal port proposal avoids that by using barges and transhipment at an Island in the Salish Sea
Don’t kid yourself Gord, there won’t be any more provision for rail on the Massey bridge than there is on the Port Mann, i.e. none.
Our provincial government hates transit and all the people who use it. There’s no other logical explanation for green-lighting projects with non-existent business cases while imposing a referendum upon the region before spending a penny on projects with solid business cases showing large benefits for the economy.
Rending of the bridge – I count 12 lanes!
The music sounds like it’s from some long forgotten Nintendo game hahaha
With just a hint of Jurassic Park gandieur
Actually I (only?) saw 10 lanes. But my, look at all that free-flowing traffic!
Agree with Stephen is unlikely to impact coal shipments…more interested in the prospects for cargo. Presumably with a Massey Bridge and a higher Pattulo, larger vessels could bring boxes directly to the CN & CP intermodal facilities (or do have that understanding wrong)? If so, doesn’t that (1) hurt the prospects/negate the need for a much larger Deltaport, and (2) significantly reduce the number of drayage hauls from Deltaport to the Intermodal yards (which SFPR was built to accommodate)?
I’ve just been listening to a couple of mayors discussing the new bridge on the CBC. Mayor Jackson (Delta) mentioned her drawer-full of studies showing why it’s necessary. I’m curious about whether any of those studies asked tunnel users “How much per day would you be willing to pay to go back and forth over a new bridge?” People always prefer it if somebody else is paying for their transportation infrastructure, but if you ask them the right questions they can produce better answers than “I want it for free”.
Finally something is being done about this notorious bottleneck.
No transit, no bridge. No referendum, no bridge. Can someone please organize a campaign against this project starting right now? Where can I donate money to?
The rendering shows plenty of cars and trucks but only one bus, and it’s a tour bus. For some reason, it also shows more pedestrians than cyclists despite the fact that the closest major destinations on both sides are more than 5 km apart.